ABSTRACT
Var āsŕama dharma challenged by the reality of var a-sa kara (‘caste’ intermingling); implications. Two views: caste as determined by heredity, and caste as determined by behaviour. The concept of jāti; jāti and var a. Untouchability, unconstitutional yet widespread, especially rurally. How untouchability manifests itself. The Dalits; śūddhi. Modern interpreters of dharma and caste: Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Dayananda Sarasvati, M.K. Gandhi. Gandhi and Sant Mat. A fresh look at sm ti.
